Computer systems, such as desktop and server systems, often accommodate a variety of types of drives, such as hard drives, compact disc drives, and others. To facilitate installation and/or interchangeability of the drives, computer systems generally include a chassis having an opening to accommodate insertion of the drive into the chassis. A backplane having a socket or other type of connector for communicatively engaging the particular drive is generally located at the rear of the opening so that the drive may be brought directly into engagement with the socket by inserting the drive into the opening. A cooling fan is often located behind the backplane to draw an airflow adjacent the drive to dissipate thermal energy generated by the drive.
However, the above-described computer system may not be capable of providing sufficient cooling of the drive. For example, the backplane often contains a variety of components and may lack sufficient openings or cut-outs to enable a sufficient volume of air to flow adjacent the drive. Thus, the airflow must often be diverted around the backplane to provide cooling to the drive. Additionally, because of the requirement to divert the airflow around the backplane, additional fans or more powerful fans may be required.